Tufting machine



T. J. AMOS TUFTING MACHINE .AprilZl, 1942.

Filed May 5, 1959 I a Sheets-Sheet 1,

April 21, 1942. 1-. J. AMOS TUF'IING MACHINE Filed May 5, 1959 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 21,1942. p

TUFTIN G MACHINE Thomas J. Amos, Rome, Ga., assignor to W.-EL Dellinger,Floyd County, Ga.

Application May 5, 1939, Serial No. 271,958

7 Claims.

This invention relates to tufting machines and more particularly totufting machine attachments for use with sewing machines of aconventional type having the usual vertically reciprocal needle, andassociated fabric feeding mechanism. i

One important object of the present invention is to provide a tuftingattachment for sewing .machines which shall comprise a novel formofthread looper and cutter members constructed and aranged to cooperatewith a thread carrying needle to form loops and tufts in a base fabricin a more efiicient and uniform manner than heretofore accomplishedbysimilar devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tufting machineattachment of the character designated including a novel arrangement oflooper hook and improved mechanism for operating the same.

i A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of thecharacterdesignated in shall be connected together and operated in anovel manner by the needleoperating shaft.

A further object of the inventionis to provide a simplified arrangementof threadrlooper and cutter members which shall be mounted on a bearingbracket projecting from the sewing machine base in close proximity to,the path of movement of the needle.

A further object of the invention is to provide .a novel thread looperand cutter unit construction in which the number of moving parts shalland tufting attachment parts;

Fig. 3 is a frontview of the tufting attachment;

Fig. 4 is a front view showing the operation on a base fabric;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view and Fig. 6 isa fragmentarysectional view of the shaft connections.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, there is shown aconventional type of sewing which the looper and associated cuttermembers machine head indicated by the numeral I 0. This head includesthe usual arrangement of a Work supporting base plate II and a housingarm 12 upon which is mounted a casing head portion 1 3. This casing head[3 includes the usual operating mechanism for a vertically reciprocableneedle bar M with its thread carrying needle I5 and the associatedpresser foot bar mechanism indicated by the numeral I6. Underneath thebase plate II is mounted a pair of parallel rock shafts l"|--IB whichare connected to operate feed mechanism indicated by the numeral I9 formoving a base fabric in cooperation with the needle and presser foot aswell understood in the art. These devices are operated in synchronismfrom a common sourceof power indicated by the shaft Zll and flywheel 2I. The shaft 20 includes the usual arrangement of cam members 22, 23

and 24 at the rear end of the shaft and a needle operating cam member 25at the forward end of the shaft.

The cam 22 connects with the work feeding rock shaft I l by a link 26and the cam 23 connects with a cooperating work feed shaft l8 by meansof a link 21. associated in a standard type sewing machine to which atufting attachment embodying the present invention may be applied and nofurther description is believed neesssary.

In this embodiment of the invention the cam 24 is employed as the solepower source for operating the tufting attachment in timed relation withthe other sewing machine parts. This cam directly connects alongitudinally disposed shaft 29 with the tufting looper deviceindicated by the numeral 28.

One important feature of the present arrangement is that a cutter memberindicated by the numeral 29' is rigidly mounted on the forward free endof the shaft .29 and the looper member cooperating therewith is mountedon a parallel auxiliary shaft 3|. These shafts project through and aresupported at the front of the machine by a depending bearing bracket 32.The arrangement is such that the looper and cutter membersare fullyaccessible in front of the bracket for the purpose of cleaning, repair,adjustment or. removal of these parts whenever necessary for any reason.r r

The bracket 32 is preferably in the form of an L-shaped block having anopening 33 at the top portion for receiving a headed bolt 34 and 34 torigidly secure the same to a depending lug 35 on the underside of thework support base. This lug 35 is the bearing lug that supported thebobbin and shuttle operating shaft in These are the usual parts thestandard sewing machine and which is now removed to accommodate thepresent tufting attachment. The lower portion of the block is providedwith parallel spaced bearing openings which support the front ends oflooper and cutter operating shafts 29 and 3| as heretofore described.The important feature is that these shafts provide independent mountingand independent drives.

The looper mechanism includes a radially disposed arm member 36 rigidlymounted on the end portion of the shaft 3| adjacent to the front face ofthe bearing block. The end of the arm engaging the shaft 3| is providedwith split circular opening 3'! in which the together by a threaded tapscrew 38. This provides a ready means for angularly adjusting the arm 36relative to the shaft when it is desired to adjust the path of movementof the looper relative to the needle l5. The other end of the arm 36 issimilarly formed to adjustably receive a looper rod 39 extendingupwardly at right angles to its supporting arm. In this case a splitopening 40 transverse to the sides is clamped by a tap screw M whichrigidly clamps the looper rod therein. The upper end of the rod'39 isslotted as indicated by the numeral 42 so as to receive alooper hookelement 43. The forward bottom portion of the looper hook is formed'witha knife edge portion Q4. The looper hook 43 is pivotally mounted in theslot 42 by a pivot pin 45 and extends toward the path of reciprocationof the needle I5.

- The cutter device 29' includes a substantially S-shaped member whichis mounted directly on the longitudinally disposed shaft 29. The member29 is warped longitudinally of its length so as to compensate for anyirregularities between the base mounting and the top pivotal connectionwith the associated looper. of the cutter member 29' is provided with aslot 46 which provides securing means for rigidly attaching it to theend of the shaft 29 by means of a headed tap screw 4?. The forward upperportion of the S-shaped cutter member is provided with a knife edgeblade 48 adapted to cooperate with the knife edge 44 of the looper hookand in shearing contact'relation. The rearward top portion of theS-shaped member is provided with an opening 48 tion of the looper hook43. The knife and looper blade portions are held in yieldable shearingrelation by a warped yieldable spring plate member 59. This plate 53 issecured by the pivot pin 49 and guided by a slotted portion 5| engagingthe pivot pin 45. The nose portion of the plate 50 engages the knife andthus by adjusting the pivot pin 49, the tension on the looper and shearblades 44 and 48 may be regulated as desired, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

One of the important features of this construction is that the cutterelement is rigidly sides are clamped The lower end which is adapted toreceive a [y pivot pin 49 which is threaded into the rear porofmovement.

parts getting out of adjustment is reduced to a minimum. This connectionalso provides reinforcement of the drive at the place where work isexpended in forming and cutting loops of thread.

The link connection 52 between the shafts 29 and 3| includes collar arms53 and 54 respectively. The arms are adjustably mounted on therespective shafts by tap screws 53 and 54. It will be noted that thelink 52 is shorter than the distance between the parallel axis of theshafts 29 and 3| as shown in Fig. 6. This provides a convenientadjustment for changing the relative operating characteristics of thelooper and cutter devices.

The shaft 29 is directly connected to the operating cam 24 by a rod 55having an end portion 56 rigidly clamped thereto by a tap bolt 51. Theupper portion of the rod 55 is curved outwardly as indicated by thenumeral 58 so that the extremity is opposite the cam 24. The end of therod 55 is connected by a short link 58 and a bearing strap 6t. Thisconnection enables the cam 24 to move the shaft 29 with a smallamplitude of rocking movement.

The mounting for the rearward ends of shafts 29 and 3! includes adepending bracket 62 for the auxiliary shaft 3! and another dependingbracket 63 for the shaft 29 adjacent the arm connection 55.

It will also be noted that this construction provides a tufting unitwhich is of simplified construction in that it employs a minimum numberof moving parts and these are mounted so that they may be readilyremoved without disturbing any of the other adjustments. For example itwill be noted that the looper mounting 36 on the auxiliary shaft 3! maybe moved laterally with respect to the auxiliary shaft or the verticallooper member may be moved vertically without disturbing the adjustmentof the auxiliary shaft. It will be noted that while there are a minimumnumber of moving parts it is of importance that these also move througha relatively small range It will also be noted that all of the partsmove in an arcuate path and there are no reciprocating movements orbearing surfaces as in machines of this type formerly constructed.

Another feature of construction is that the entire attachment may beremoved from the machine by disconnecting the link at the power shaftcam and removing the two bearing support brackets. Also it will be notedthat if it is desired for any reason to remove the knife for sharpeningor for any other reason this may be done without affecting theadjustment of the looper. This is also true should it be desired toremove the looper without disturbing the adjustment of the knife.

The specific operation of the machine to form tufts includes feeding abase fabric 64 over the work supporting base H by the feed mechanism l9in timed relation with the reciprocation of the needle [5 carrying astrand of thread 65 to form successive loops on the looper and sever thesame to form tufts as indicated in Fig. 4.

Another important feature of the proposed construction is the floatingmounting for the looper blade 43. The rear end of the blade 43 ispivotally mounted at 45 on its driving support rod 39 which moves in asmall are about the rotative axis of shaft 3| and the intermediateportion is connected at 45 to the cutter member 29 which is rigidlymounted on, and moves in an are about the axis of its driving rock shaft29. As the looper blade is moved forward by rod 39 to receive a loop ofthread from the needle I5, it pivots about the pin 49 and causes theforward end of the looper hook to move with the desired oscillatorymovement toward and from the needle I5 in its reciprocatory movement tofeed loops of thread through the base fabric.

The novel feature of mounting the looper and cutter members on separateoscillatable drive shafts and then connecting the same close to the loopforming and cutting zone of operation of these parts provides asimplified construction which operates in a more efiicient manner. Thisconstruction also enables these parts to be removed from their driveshafts-independently of each other and removed from the machine so as tofacilitate adjustmenurepair or replacement of these parts in aconvenient and accessible manner.

Another feature of this arrangement is that the pivotal connectingpoints 45 and 48 for the looper and cutter members are under tension ofthe leaf spring 50 and thus provide a machine that is more quiet inoperation as well as insure the efficient operation of the thread looperand cooperating cutter members.

Having thus fully described my invention what Iclaim is: i

1. A tufting attachment for sewing machines comprising in combinationwith a work supporting base, a depending bracket having a pair ofparallel openings therein, a shaft member projecting through eachopening and supported therein for rocking movement, a floating looperhook member, a vertically disposed rod having one end rigidly mounted onone rock shaft and the free end pivotally connected to one end of thelooper member, a vertically disposed cutter member rigidly mounted onthe other rock shaft and having its free end connected to theintermediate portion of said looper member, and a driving connectionbetween the shafts for operating the same in synchronism.

2. The combination with a sewing machine having a work supporting baseand a longitudinally disposed power shaft located above the base, atufting attachment including a depending plate bracket having a pair ofparallel openings therein, located below the base and projecting throughone of the openings and supported therein, a vertically disposed cuttermember having its lower end rigidly mounted on the free end of said rockshaft, an auxiliary rock shaft projecting through the other opening andsupported therein, a vertically disposed looper member mounted on thefree end of said auxiliary shaft and in offset relation thereto, saidlooper member having a hook portion projecting in shearing relation withsaid a longitudinally disposed rock shaft .members together, and acutter member, connection means between the looper and cuttermembers formoving the same as a unit, a direct driving connection between thelooper shaft and the cutter shaft, and a direct driving connectionbetween the power shaft and the cutter shaft.

3. A tufting attachment for sewing machines comprising in combinationwith a work supporting base, a depending bracket having a pair ofparallel openings therein, a shaft member projecting through eachopening and supported therein for rocking movement, a loop formingmember mounted on one shaft, and having a blade portion, a cutter memberrigidly mounted on the other shaft and having a blade portion inshearing relation with said looper blade, means pivotally connectingsaid looper and cutter driving connection between the shafts foroperating the same in synchronism.

4:. Apparatus of the character designated in claim 3, including meansfor adjusting the lower end of the cutter member on its shaft so as toswing the cutter blade about the pivot connection on the looper blade.

5. A tufting attachment for sewing machines comprising in combination,2. depending plate bracket, a pair of parallel rock shafts mounted inthe lower portion of said bracket, means for connecting the shaftstogether to drive the same in synchronism, a loop forming member mountedon one shaft adjacent to the front face of said bracket and having aloop cutting blade member, a, warped S-shaped cutter member having itslower end rigidly mounted on the other shaft adjacent the front face ofthe bracket and having a blade portion in shearing contact relation withsaid looper blade, and means including a slot formed in the lower end ofsaid blade for adjusting the cutter blade relative to the rock shaftmounting the same.

6. A tufting attachment for sewing machines comprising in combination, apair of parallel rock shafts, means for connecting the shafts togetherto drive the loop forming member mounted on one shaft and having a bladeportion, a warped cutter member rigidly mounted on the other shaft andhaving a blade portion in shearing contact relation with said looperblade, said cutter member being substantially S-shaped and includingmeans for connecting the top portion of the cutter member to the loopermember, and means at the lower portion of the cutter member foradjustably mounting the same on its operating shaft.

7. Apparatus of the character designated in claim 2 including a lateralmotion cam link pivotally connecting said power shaft and said cuttershaft.

THOMAS J. AMOS.

same in synchronism, a v

